Comparative case study of change in the electricity industries in New Zealand and The Gambia

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Date

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Thesis Discipline

Business Administration

Degree Grantor

University of Canterbury

Degree Level

Doctoral

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

This thesis examines the content and process of change associated with deregulation of the electricity industries in New Zealand and The Gambia by studying the scope of change, the process of implementation, the obstacles to change and the outcomes of change. The study employs a case study methodology using semi-structured interviews for primary data collection. A total of fifty-one respondents comprising senior managers, consultants and administrators were interviewed in both countries. Both manual and computer-aided analyses was carried out. Apart from providing a better understanding of the change process, the study makes three contributions to the literature on organisational change. First, it shows that internally initiated, controlled and implemented change processes are more likely to achieve their desired outcomes compared to change processes initiated, controlled and implemented from outside the organisation. Second, it demonstrates the crucial role of trust in facilitating effective change. Third, it illustrates the importance of the selection process in establishing and nurturing trust in organisations.